txtinman Loc: Lorena, TX

When I introduced myself here I mentioned that I am interested in Linux software fore post production work. No one commented so I thought I would ask. Does anyone else on this forum use Linux?

I use Linux Mint Debian as my OS. digiKam for photo management. Darktable for raw conversion and post production of my raw files. Gimp lets me do other post production work that Darktable doesn't support. Mostly any special effects. I use Qtpfsgui for creating HDR images. Don't ask, I can't pronounce it and I have no idea what they were thinking when they came up with that name.

KG

I use Linux too. Of the software you mentioned, I use Darktable and Gimp.

I just checked out Qtpfsgui, and it looks interesting.

BlindWolf Loc: Lexington, KY

I am 100% Linux on all 4 computers. I run Ubuntu 10.04 on 2 and 11.04 on 2.

Like you I use Digikam for managing, viewing and RAW conversion (Fuji RAF and Nikon RAW) and I use Gimp for editing.

I sometimes use Gimp for RAW conversion with the UFRaw add on. I like the quick synchronized cropping and light temp adjustments in UFRaw and then it automatically loads into Gimp for further editing.

Thanks to you I will now be using Luminance HDR (aka Qtpfsgui) and will be looking in to Darktable to see if there is any advantage over Dk for RAW converts.

Perhaps we should explain to the others why we use Linux. Here are my reasons.

1. It works! Unlike Windows which always seems to lock up or crash at the worst times, Linux works and keeps on working.

2. It is fast! All programs will run noticeably faster on Linux compared to the same machine running Windows.

3. It will run on any hardware, a computer made for Windows or a computer made for Mac.

4. You can still have your Windows or Mac computer, just install it along side the other OS. (Ubuntu makes this real easy to do.)

5. Plenty of online support! (At least with Ubuntu there is.)

6. No viruses! You don't have to pay "protection money" to keep a worm or virus from loading itself on your computer.

7. Speaking of money, it is FREE! And so is all the software. (You have more money for more important things like 50mm f1.4 lens)

8. If you use Linux we will invite you to join our club and teach you the secret handshake. (Just kidding, we don't have a secret handshake but you do get a neat propeller beanie to wear at meetings.)

charlessmall18

Linux, an Open Source adaption of the venerable UNIX OS, has only about a 1% to 2% penetration in the home and office markets. However, for servers -- really big and fast PCs loaded with I/O ports that run unattended in 24/7 and handle e-mail and web sites, among other things -- about 75% or so use Linux and the free Open Source Apache server software. Why? Because it is free? No. Because Linux never crashes! Unless you are a true believer in the exclusive goodness of one particular OS's functionality, if you try Linux, I think that you will find it just another windowing OS with which you can learn it well enought to do what you want in about 5 minutes. If you want to try out Linux with no risk of messing up your PC or Mac, first get a "Virtual Machine" program such as the free, Open Source VirtualBox https://www.virtualbox.org/. I think VMware has a free on too. After installing VirtualBox, you can install any number of OSs in it and run them one at at ime but have these "guests" OSs completely isolated from your native OS. Then follow the Virtual Machie directions and get a Linux "distribution" or "distro." They are complete, self-installing packages of the Linux "kernel," a windowing GUI, tecky stuff like device drivers and so on, some pre-installed software, plus lists of thousands of free Open Source programs that you can install with a mouse click or two that the compilers of the distro know work ok. From these lists, you should be able to find an Open Source anlog for any conceiveable applicaton you have (eg, The GIMP/Photoshop, Firefox/Internet Explorer, Mozilla Thunderbirg/MS Outlook, Blender/3D rendering, Audacity/Cakewalk, OpenOffice/MS Office, Sigil/Adobe Indesign [for ebooks], Inkscape/Adobe Illustator, etc. etc) Two popular distros are the Debian http://www.debian.org/ and the Ubuntu http://www.ubuntu.com/. If you don't feel like swiching to Linux or adding Linux as an optional OS after giving it the old college try, then just uninstall the VM program! No harm, no foul.

wjrock

Hi, I'm new to this forum and I am enjoying all the comments and conversation. I have to say that this discussion about Linux is one of my favorite.

I agree with 110% about using Linux ( or any other UNIX OS ) and for the very same reasons that you have pointed out. Especially 'paying for protection'. I could not have said it better. I know that in the real world, we are all victims of Microsoft and the burdens that it carries. They can't be avoided. There are many programs that only run on Microsoft Windows. "Digital Express - Darkroom" is one example, "Photoreflect", for displaying and selling photos, is another. I do like using the Mac, but it has it's limitations, too. But when it comes right down to have a STABLE production machine, you cannot beat Linux/UNIX.
Not only am I a photographer, but also an architect. I've been using UNIX machines for 15 years. They are still running. I never shut them off. I take advantage of the freeware/shareware programs and it has saved me a fortune on software. GIMP is great as well as some of the other graphics programs. However, Photoshop is the primo software for our industry. Other programs like DxO Labs, Lightroom and Aperture are very good. When I do need to run Photoshop, I run it in a shell ( Wine ) on my Linux/Ubuntu 11.04. It runs at 100% speed without any problems. And without the OS problems you get on a Windows platform......................

Thank you for making this forum available. I will continue to follow along.

Bill Rock
Sun/Solaris 10; Linux/Ubuntu 11.04; Mac OS; and WindowsXP
Canon equipment

txtinman Loc: Lorena, TX

I've only just started using Darktable for raw conversion. I used Rawtherepee in the past. It is another great piece of software that runs on Linux.

One thing I find interesting to do is find a tutorial for Photoshop and try to follow along with Gimp. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes not so easy because of the different menu structure and naming conventions used by the two programs.

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

Just noticed this when searching for another linux user. Yup, I'm guilty of using OpenSUSE.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Catchy name. :D

How would you ask for that on the phone?

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

I'd probably pronounce it Luminance. BTW Qt4 is a graphics interface used in Linux, God only knows what pfs stands for. GUI is Graphical User Interface. Us Linux geeks use a lot of acronyms and drop vowels a lot(e.g. cp = copy)

corryhully Loc: liverpool uk

I run my computer dual boot wth ubuntu qertzal. The only time i seem to go in to windows is to use lightroom as i was unable to get it to run the way i wanted in wine. I use drop box to swap photos between systems. If i could get lightroom to work in linux i would dump windows. Ubuntu is so much less hassle and internet is so fast.

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

Try darktable or UFRaw. Linux should be able to read the NTFS system on your drive. Get a network storage device to use as a backup and transfer drive. Worst case, set up a spare drive or partition formatted FAT32.

corryhully Loc: liverpool uk

I have used darktable, good program but i prefer lightroom. Ichave not tried ufraw so will give it a go. Thanks

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

UFraw works well and even shoots right out to GIMP.

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

Check out my post here if you shoot Canon, run Linux, and want to find your shutter count:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-86831-1.html

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

GIMP Resourcdes here:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-75645-1.html

Pareandfocus is run by a fellow member on this forum.